369th Striker (Clan Diamond Shark)

369th Striker Cluster
Nickname	The Hammerheads
Affiliation	Clan Diamond Shark
Parent Command	Gamma Galaxy

With links to the SLDF's independent 369th Striker Regiment, the 369th Striker Cluster was one of Clan Diamond Shark's most long-lived and storied units, until its disbandment after the Cluster's almost complete destruction during the Battle of Tukayyid.

History

Possessing one of the longest lineages of any Diamond Shark unit, the 369th supposedly has ties to the less than company of survivors from the 369th Striker Regiment who survived liberation of Terra, accompanying both Aleksandr Kerensky on his Exodus and his son Nicholas Kerensky on his Second Exodus that led to the formation of the Clans. The 369th was a critical part of the Shark touman over the centuries, supplying its fair share of Khans and saKhans, maintaining its sterling service record in the years leading up to Operation Revival, including Star Colonel Lionel Arlond's successful Trial of Possession for a Clan Ghost Bear outpost on the moon of Priori.

Clan Sea Fox

In 2985 the 214th Jaguar Dragoons from Clan Smoke Jaguar attacked Clan Sea Fox Priori enclaves after that Clan had allowed her lower caste members to vote on the name change of the Clan. They were engaged by the 369th Striker Cluster. The attack did not end well for the Jaguar forces.

Operation Revival

While the Diamond Sharks were denied a place in the initial invasion and forced to serve as a reserve Clan, after the election of Ulric Kerensky as ilKhan they were given permission to launch a Trial for a staging world, select to wrest control of the Periphery planet of Nyserta from Clan Ghost Bear. Defended by the Fifth Phalanx Cluster of the Bears' Pi Galaxy, the Shark Khans selected the 369th to face them based on Star Colonel Lionel Arlond's previous experience on Priori. Advancing to the designated battlefield on the Luman Plains to find the Ghost Bear forces waiting, both sides exchanged long-range fire for ten minutes before the 369th began to get the upper hand, the Ghost Bear 'Mechs melted into the wood around the plains' north edge. Sending his lighter 'Mechs and a Star of Elementals to pursue them, with his heavier units following fast behind, Arlond expected the Bears to swiftly turn and fight.

Instead the Bears maintained their running retreat for two days before turning and smashing through the 369th's light 'Mechs, the Sharks having been forced to stretch their ranks to keep up with them and drawing the pursuit force further and further from aid. Flush with the success of this false-retreat tactic, the Fifth Phalanx now advanced at full speed towards the Sharks' trailing heavy and assault 'Mechs, only to be forced back. With the Bears swinging eastward in an attempt to flank the 369th, Star Colonel Arlond split off a heavy and assault Star from his forces south towards the woods at top speed in an attempt to flank the Ghost Bears, using his remaining three 'Mech Stars to face the 5th.

Despite now being outnumbered three to one, Arlond's troops held their ground in the face of bloody combat against the Bears until the flanking Stars accompanied by the surviving light 'Mechs and Elementals of the pursuit force charged out of the woods and into the 5th Phalanx's rear. Taken completely by surprise, the 5th Phalanx were defeated and the 369th claimed the world of Clan Diamond Shark.

Tukayyid

Like all the Clans, the Sharks eagerly bid for Tukayyid, with Ian Hawker including the 369th in the five Clusters bid for the battle. With the Diamond Sharks' target cities lying twenty kilometers from each other, the Sharks landed in the middle of the Kozice Valley that divided them, Alpha Galaxy's Nineteenth Heavy Cluster and Thirty-ninth Striker Cluster setting out for Kozice Prime with the 369th Striker and 222nd Assault Cluster heading towards the secondary target of Urcunat. With the Com Guard forces stalling the advances of both thrusts, the 31st, 56th, 85th Divisions turned their attentions to launching attacks against the Sharks' rear area in an attempt to disrupt their supply lines.

While the 369th kept trying to press forward to Urcunat, the 222nd Assault won the bid to destroy these raiders. The 222nd quickly encountered the 85th Division, but neither side were able to gain the advantage over the other as the fighting became increasingly brutal. After the 85th tied up the Sharks' supply lines for an entire day, Star Colonel Seth Davis's patience ran out, breaking batchall to order the 369th to reinforce the 222nd in an attempt to finally obliterate the infuriating 85th. While the 85th finally crumbled in the face of both Clusters, the victory was especially costly for the Sharks with the doomed division taking the 222nd down with them and Star Colonel Arlond being killed in single combat against the 85th's CO, Precentor Trent Arian. Faltering with the death of its commander, the Com Guard 31st and 56th Divisions avenged the sacrifice of the 85th by tearing the 369th apart.

In the end, only a single Binary from the 369th survived to be evacuated from Tukayyid. Rather than re-form this venerable Cluster, the Shark Khans decided to incorporate most of the survivors into Alpha Galaxy, specifically the Thirty-Ninth Striker.

Officers

Rank	Name	Command
Commanding Officers of the 369th Striker
Star Colonel	Lionel Arlond	3052

Tactics

Unknown.

Composition History

Unknown.

Bibliography

• Era Report: 3052
• Field Manual: Warden Clans
• Invading Clans
• Jumping the Diamond Shark (BattleCorps scenario)
• Tukayyid